Michaelis david marcus and nathan hyman epsteyn



(No Model.)

M. D. MARCUS & N. H. EPSTEYN.

ELECTRIC FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Feb. 2, 1886.

NITE STATES PATENT FFICE.

)IICHAELIS DAVID MARCUS AND NATHAN HYMAN EPSTEYN, OF PORT- LAND, OREGON,ASSIGNORS OF ONE-FIFTH TO ARTHUR M. PLATO, OF

S AME PLACE.

ELECTRIC FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,372, dated February2, 1886.

Application filed April 10, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, DIICHAELIS DAVID MARoUs and NATHAN HYMAN EPSTEYN,citi- Zens of the United States, and residents of the city of Portland,in the county of Multnomah, of the State of Oregon, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in the Matter of an ElectricFire-Escape System, of which the following specification is a full andto clear description, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsand letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of our invention is to save human life and property in caseof fire by giv- I 5 ing immediate escape from and access to buildings ofany height and in any situation instantly upon the first alarm ordiscovery of fire. This we accomplish by a systematic arrangement offlexible fire-escape ladders attached to and concealed on or under thesill of each and every window in a building, and connected altogether bya. continuous electric current or apparatus, culminating at a givenplace, either on each floor or in halls or office of building, or inoiiices of fire department or other company, as the system shall beextended and used. By the use of this system, we avoid the delay causedby waiting for fire department or ladder service, and we offer acertain, sure, and speedy escape from danger to guestsinhotels,occupants oftenements and other buildings, thus adding greatly tothe peace, security, and safety ofthe general public.

Figure 1 is a general view showing inven- 5 tion ready for use,showingthe flexible ladder B suspended from window-sill, showing also electricwires 0 connecting therewith and operated as hereinafter described. Fig.1 shows also appearance of building when the inven- 0 tion is not inuse, the flexible ladder B being concealed in the case A, attached towindowsill or wall, as described in detail hereinafter. Fig. 2 is asideend View of the case or boXAattached to window-sill or wall,as explainedin detail hereinafter. Same figureshows, also,

brace or support E for case A. Fig. 3 is a section View of invention,showing construction of case A, manner of attaching ladder B,

Serial No. 161,842. (No model.)

and mechanism required for operating invention, as explainedin detail asfollows:

The case or box A is made of iron, metal, or wood,as desired. Said caseA has the back, ends, and bottom joined solidly together. The front sideis hinged loosely to the bottom of said case or box A. Said case A isfirmly attached to wind ow-sill or wall by means of bolts F, beingfirmly screwed or embedded into the window-sill or wallof building. Thebolt F is passed, first, through the eye of iron hook G, thence throughmetal spring H, then through back of box or case A, and into buildingorsill. One end of the flexibleladder B is firmly looped or fastened inthe hook G. The ladder B is made of a snliicient length to reach fromone window to the bottom of the window below. The lower end of ladder Bis fastened to the plate or cover I, as seen in Fig. 1. This plate orcover I forms the top or cover of the case A when the ladder is not inuse. The said top or coverIis kept in place, as shown in Fig. 3, byhaving a notch or groove for the reception of the loosely-hinged frontside of the case or box A, and also by means of the electric catch orlatch N, which is made to catch into a notch in said top or cover I,made to receive same. The catch or latch N is brought into connectionwith the system of electric wires on aprinciple similar to those used byelectric-bell methodsin hotels.

The metal spring H is composed of one or more pieces of spring metalbent to attain a force or power sufiicient for the purpose. The upperend, or end of spring H, is brought between the edge of top or cover Iand wall or sill K for the purpose of throwing or discharging the saidtop or cover I over the edge of case A when the latch or catch N isreleased by the electric shock.

The mode of operating and using the invention or electric fire-escapesystem is simply as follows: \Vhen an alarm of fire is given in abuilding or hotel, the watchman or any other person, by pressing on aknob or pulling on a hook, (according to style of electric apparatusused,) said hook or knob situated in a place of easy access andconnected with an electric current of sufficient power for the purposedescribed, sends an electric shock into each and every box or case A,attached to every window in building. The electric shock contracts thecatch N, Fig. 3, thereby causing it to drop out ofnotch and thusreleasing metal spring H. Said spring frees itself with sufficient forceand energy to throw oii the top or cover I, having the lower end of theflexible ladder Battached thereto. Said cover Lbeing released andpushed, drops down, dragging the ladder B with it, and the top or coverI thus becomes the bottom round or step ofsaid ladder, and said topbeing heavy serves to prevent ladder from swingingloosely. The frontside ofcase A,beingloosely hinged, drops down and back out of the way.The bottom of said case A being solid and braced serves as a safeplatform to step out on, also serves asa guard or rail to keep theladders at a safe distance from the wall orwindow, thus preventinginjury to persons from chafing or striking against wall or glass.

The ladders are made ofample length to make access easy from one windowto another, and,in fact,serve as one continuousladder from top to bottomof building. \Vhere the system is extended to the use or control offire-department or other company, it thus becomes the power of saiddepartment or other company to immediately surround a building withladders, thus giving immediate easy access to and from every portion ofsuch building in and at the moment of discovery of such fire.

Connecting with and as a part of this system will be analarm-bell,placedin every roon1,for the purpose of awaking and warningoccupants of danger. The saidv alarm-bells are connected with sameelectric current used in operating this system.

Having thus described our invention fully, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In combination with an electric fireescape apparatus, the case or boxA, for the purpose of retaining flexible ladder when not in use, andconstructed to serve as case-platform and ladder-guard, substantially asdescribed and set forth.

2. In combination with an electric fireescape apparatus, the mechanismof latch N and spring H, connected with and attached to case A,forpurpose of holding, also releasing, cover I of case A, therewithprecipitating said ladder attached thereto by force of electric shockand spring force, substantially as set forth and described, makingladder instantly ready for use.

MICHAELIS DAVID MARCUS. NATHAN HYMAN EPS'IEYN.

\Vitnesses:

\V. T. BURNEY, JOHN H. MACK.

